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Missouri State University’s Glass Hall renovation and expansion project is losing $1.9 million in state-appropriated funds.
Missouri State University’s Glass Hall renovation and expansion project is losing $1.9 million in state-appropriated funds.

MSU president: Government actions affect Glass Hall funding

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Funding for the renovation and expansion of Missouri State University’s Glass Hall academic building is being adversely affected by recent state government actions.

In his blog dubbed Clif’s Notes, MSU President Clif Smart yesterday wrote Gov. Jay Nixon’s budget withholdings  would prohibit roughly $1.9 million of $5 million in state-appropriated funds from going toward the $33.8 million project on the Springfield campus. After 13 of his vetoes were overridden by the Missouri General Assembly Sept. 14, Nixon responded the next day by withholding $57.2 million from the state budget.

MSU plans to respond to the withheld funds by modifying the work to be completed and limiting deviations in construction.

“This is unfortunate, but responsible stewardship requires that we respond appropriately,” Smart wrote. “The governor has indicated it is unlikely the restricted funds will be released this fiscal year. However, we will continue to work with the current governor and the governor-elect in November to advocate that the Glass Hall funds be released.”

Smart said the withheld funds would be replaced by university reserves and MSU Foundation gifts after modifications are made to the project. He did not detail the university’s restricted plans for Glass Hall.

In Nixon’s withholding announcement, he specifically cited tax breaks in Senate Bills 641 and 1025. SB 641 prohibits disaster payments from being subject to state income taxes, and SB 1025 exempts instructional classes, such as yoga, from sales taxes.

“Make no mistake – these cuts are solely the responsibility of legislators who voted to enact the special interest tax breaks,” Nixon said in a Sept. 15 news release. “These bills must be accounted for, in order to balance the budget, so today I ordered immediate cuts to the state budget – $51.5 million as a result of Senate Bill 641 and $5.7 million as a result of Senate Bill 1025.”
 
Nixon specifically pointed to the $1.9 million in cuts to the Glass Hall project. Other cuts include:
    •    $20 million for a cost-share program operated by the Missouri Department of Transportation;
    •    $16.5 million for school transportation; and
    •    $6 million for the K-12 foundation formula.

Senate leaders responded by pointing to Nixon’s history of withholding budget funds and later asking the legislature to help pay for Medicaid expansion.

“Budgets are about priorities, and this governor has proven time and time again he cares more about entitlement programs, such as Medicaid, than programs that will help our schools, local transportation, and our state’s number one industry: agriculture,” said Senate majority floor leader Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, in a release. “As legislators, we have done our job of cutting red tape and cutting income taxes to help grow our economy, and we will continue to pursue policies to allow small businesses in Missouri to create more jobs for years to come.”

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